USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences

USD School of Leadership and Education Sciences Putting passion into practice.

At the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), we prepare educators, leaders, counselors and therapists to transform communities and build a more just, inclusive and inspired world.

Celebrating Visionary Leadership 🌟We are thrilled to announce that our very own Dean, Kimberly White-Smith, has been hon...
05/20/2026

Celebrating Visionary Leadership 🌟

We are thrilled to announce that our very own Dean, Kimberly White-Smith, has been honored with the Karen and Tom Mulvaney Spirit of Community Award!

As part of only the second cohort to ever receive this prestigious honor, Dean White-Smith was recognized for embodying "love in action." This award reflects her dedication to fostering justice-centered partnerships and her commitment to the transformative power of community.

In the words of the Mulvaney Center for Community, Awareness and Social Action (CASA): Through initiatives like the BiGI program and her work with the Monarch School Project and the Urban League, she models what it means to lead with both heart and humility.

The Center highlighted her unwavering support and her ability to show up as a true partner for our students and the broader San Diego community.

Please join us in congratulating Dean White-Smith on this historic and well-deserved recognition! 🥂🙌


University of San Diego

PhD in Education: Deadline Extended to June 30We’ve officially extended the application window for our PhD in Education ...
05/18/2026

PhD in Education: Deadline Extended to June 30

We’ve officially extended the application window for our PhD in Education program.💫

Designed for working professionals, USD SOLES’ online PhD in Education helps educators and leaders strengthen their research, leadership, and policy expertise while continuing to grow in their careers.

If you are ready to influence educational systems, drive meaningful change, and advance your impact, we encourage you to submit your application for the upcoming cohort.

🔗Link to finalize your submission: https://shorturl.at/X2L0m

“It feels like the right next step at the right moment in my career.”As we prepare for the Fall launch of our inaugural ...
05/14/2026

“It feels like the right next step at the right moment in my career.”

As we prepare for the Fall launch of our inaugural EdD in Catholic Social Thought in Practice, we’ve been inspired by the sense of purpose our incoming doctoral students are bringing with them.

For those joining this first cohort, the journey is about more than the title—it’s about the opportunity to lead at a deeper level and the commitment to making a lasting, systemic impact.

If you are ready to ground your professional practice in this work, we invite you to take that next step with us.

Final Application Deadline: Monday, May 18th.

Begin your doctoral journey today.

Link to apply: https://shorturl.at/f6H94

Franciscan School of Theology

05/11/2026

At the Edge of it All: Navigating Mental Health Resources and Tips to Strengthen Your Mental Health Habits

Mental health support is more important than ever in today’s fast-paced, always-connected world. Hear from Lauren Bruaski, PsyD/ LMFT, as she shares how the USD Tele-Mental Health Training Clinic supports families and veterans through accessible counseling services while helping communities navigate the growing mental health challenges connected to social media, stress, and the 24/7 news cycle.

Watch the full conversation and learn more about finding the right mental health support for you and your family — https://www.sandiego.edu/newscenter/138588

The future of education needs passionate, prepared educators 🧑‍🏫If you are looking to make a meaningful impact in the cl...
05/11/2026

The future of education needs passionate, prepared educators 🧑‍🏫

If you are looking to make a meaningful impact in the classroom and beyond, join us to learn more about our teaching and credential pathways designed for future educators and working professionals ready to take the next step.

Our programs offer opportunities to earn a graduate degree and/or teaching credential while gaining hands-on classroom experience across diverse educational settings.

Join us for an upcoming virtual information session to explore:
🔹 Program Pathways: Graduate degree and credential options available
🔹 Career Impact: How these pathways support career growth and advancement in education
🔹 Admissions Process: Application requirements, timelines, and next steps

Register Today!
📅 Thursday, May 14
⏰ 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM (PST)
📍 Virtual / Zoom

RSVP HERE: https://shorturl.at/CrYFB

We look forward to connecting with you! 🎓✨

EdD and MA Leadership Application Workshop 📝Applying to the EdD in Organizational Leadership or MA in Leadership Studies...
05/07/2026

EdD and MA Leadership Application Workshop 📝

Applying to the EdD in Organizational Leadership or MA in Leadership Studies? This workshop provides a direct look at the admissions process and what reviewers expect from candidates.

We will cover:

🔷 Specific criteria admissions reviewers look for.
🔷 How to draft your statement of purpose.
🔷 Ways to present your professional experience.
🔷 Application fee waiver for all participants.

Leave with a clear plan to complete your application.

Link to Register 👉 https://shorturl.at/7boqt

05/07/2026

🚨Important Announcement: Date Change for the Neurodiversity Virtual Summit.

Our upcoming Virtual Summit has officially moved from April 24 to Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

📅 Mark your calendars! We are re-framing the conversation.

📣 Introducing: Reframing Neurodiversity as a Social Justice Imperative in Higher Education, a Virtual Summit on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

This isn't just a talk; it's an actionable dialogue. Participants will engage in critical conversations about what is happening on their respective campuses and how we can better support neurodiverse students, faculty, and staff.

🌟 Featuring exclusive insights: The Center for Embodied Equity and Neurodiversity (CEEN) at the University of San Diego will share stories and outcomes from NETA (Neurodiversity, Equity and Trauma-Informed Approaches), a groundbreaking certificate program for Community College professionals focusing on the needs of men of color.

💡 We will end with a vital dialogue about current research and existing gaps.

Who is this for? ✅ Higher education professionals (faculty, staff, counselors, administrators, equity advocates). ✅ Researchers and practitioners. ✅ Professionals committed to neurodiversity, access, and inclusion in higher ed.

🎟️ Register Today: https://shorturl.at/AGlCH

$30 registration includes access to the webinar recording through August 31, 2026.






Show the Case 🎤✨At our Ninth Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DISJ) Showcase, keynote speaker Dr. Zachar...
05/01/2026

Show the Case 🎤✨

At our Ninth Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DISJ) Showcase, keynote speaker Dr. Zachary Green issued a challenge that cut through the noise: “We need to show the case at this showcase.”

As a Professor of Practice in Leadership Studies and the Director of Leadership Development at The Nonprofit Institute, Dr. Green knows that theory without evidence is just talk. He challenged us to ensure our research isn’t just an academic exercise, but a direct intervention in the systems we seek to change.

Every researcher who presented proved that their work is a catalyst for the communities they serve. We are proud of this collective for producing scholarship that refuses to be silent and provides the hard evidence needed to build a more equitable reality.

Standing out in a room of innovators:

🏆 1st Place: Marco Amaral | Special Education & Social Justice Advocacy. Marco’s work is scholarship as resistance—advocating for the dignity and rights of every student.

🥈 Runners-Up: Ha Thu Hoang & Yu-An Wang | International Students' Adaptive Leadership. A vital look at how students navigate and respond to U.S. immigration policy crises.

To our presenters: Your work is the evidence. Thank you for showing the case 💙

05/01/2026

Highlighting the Ninth Annual Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice (DISJ) Excellence Showcase at SOLES. 👏

To every single student and colleague who presented: we see you and we are so proud of you. Your research isn’t just an academic exercise—it is critical, soul-deep work that directly shapes, heals, and empowers the communities we serve. The passion in Mother Rosalie Hill Hall was a testament to the fact that when we scholarship with purpose, we create real change. 🤝

🏆 A huge congratulations to Marco Amaral for securing 1st Place for his vital work regarding Special Education and social justice advocacy. His dedication to ensuring that every student has the resources and representation they deserve is exactly what "Re-Envisioning Community Engagement" is all about.

The showcase may be over, but the work continues. Let’s keep building 💫

From Alumna to Author: Celebrating Dr. Whitney McIntyre Miller! 📚✨We were honored to welcome back our alumna, Associate ...
04/28/2026

From Alumna to Author: Celebrating Dr. Whitney McIntyre Miller! 📚✨

We were honored to welcome back our alumna, Associate Professor Dr. Whitney McIntyre Miller, to campus recently for a book signing of her new release: Integral Peace Leadership: Theory and Practice for Creating Peaceful Change.

In her work, Dr. McIntyre Miller explores how leadership is found in the choices we make every day—from how we present ourselves to how we interact in collective spaces. She argues that creating a better world isn't someone else's job; it belongs to all of us:

"Ultimately, our individual work and actions are essential in making peace possible. We, each of us as ourselves, are essential to the peace leadership needed to create the world we want to see."

It was a privilege to have Dr. McIntyre Miller back on campus to share her expertise and inspire our community. We are incredibly proud of the impact she is making! 👏

Explore the work 💫
For those interested in the full theory and practice of Integral Peace Leadership, the book is now available: https://shorturl.at/nDZZp

Whitney McIntyre Miller
Kimberly White-Smith

Address

5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA
92110

Telephone

+16192604600

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